Latitudinal and downcore (0–750 ka) changes in n-alkane chain lengths in the eastern equatorial Pacific

The n-alkane C₃₁/(C₂₉ + C₃₁) ratios from surface sediments in the eastern equatorial Pacific (EEP) exhibit higher values to the north and lower values to the south across the southern edge (2–4°N) of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). Since plants tend to synthesize longer chain length n-alkanes in response to elevated temperature and/or aridity, the higher C₃₁/(C₂₉ + C₃₁) ratios at northern sites suggest a higher contribution of vegetation under hot and/or dry conditions. This is consistent with the observation that northern sites receive higher levels of plant waxes transported by northeasterly trade winds from northern South America, where hot and dry conditions prevail. Furthermore, from a sediment core covering the past 750 ka (core HY04; 4°N, 95°W) we found that C₃₁/(C₂₉ + C₃₁) ratios exhibit a long-term decrease from MIS (marine oxygen isotope stage) 17 to 13. During this period, the zonal SST (sea-surface temperature) gradient in the equatorial Pacific increased, suggesting an increase in Walker circulation. Such intensified Walker circulation may have enhanced moisture advection from the equatorial Atlantic warm pool to the adjacent northern South America, causing arid regions in northern South America to contract, which may explain long-term decrease in n-alkane chain lengths.     

Jupiter’s Great Red Spot: compactness condition and stability

Linear Rossby wave dispersion relationships suggest that Jupiter’s Great Red Spot (GRS) is a baroclinic structure embedded in a barotropic shearing zonal flow. Quasi-geostrophic (QG) two-layer simulations support the theory, as long as an infinitely deep zonal flow is assumed. However, once a finite depth of the lower layer is assumed, a self-interaction of the baroclinic eddy component produces a barotropic radiating field, so that the GRS-like eddy can no longer remain compact. Compactness is recovered by explicitly introducing a deep dynamics of the interior for the lower layer, instead of the shallow QG formulation. An implication of the result is a strong coupling of the GRS to a convectively active interior.Paper presented to the NP Symposia of the 1991 Wiesbaden EGS Assembly on “Nonlinear processes in Geophysics”     

Sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe U-Pb ages of the Latest Oligocene-Early Miocene rift-related Hidaka high-temperature metamorphism in Hokkaido, northern Japan

Abstract   In order to define the timing of granulite facies metamorphism, sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) U-Pb analyses were performed on zircons of three pelitic granulites from the lower metamorphic sequence of the Hidaka Metamorphic Belt, southern central Hokkaido, Japan. Both rounded and prismatic zircons were found in the granulite samples. The rounded zircons had thin (10–20 µm) concentric overgrowth rims on detrital cores, while the prismatic zircons did not have detrital cores. Both the overgrowth rims on the rounded zircons and the entire prismatic zircons were formed under granulite facies metamorphism and consistently yield Latest Oligocene–Early Miocene ages (23.7 ± 0.4 Ma to 17.2 ± 0.5 Ma; ²⁰⁶Pb/ ²³⁸U ages ( n  = 31) with low Th/U ratios, mostly <0.1). The internal structure of zircons and their SHRIMP U-Pb ages provide strong evidence in support of the granulite facies event occurring during the Latest Oligocene-Early Miocene. The detrital cores of rounded zircons show a huge variety of ages; Mesoarchean to Paleoproterozoic, Paleozoic to Mesozoic and Paleogene. The interior and marginal portions of the Eurasian continent including cratonic areas are suggested for their source provenances. These wide variations in age suggest that the protolith of the granulites of the lower metamorphic sequence were deposited near the trench of the Eurasian continental margin during Paleogene. The protolith of the lower metamorphic sequence of the Hidaka metamorphic belt was thrust under the upper metamorphic sequence, which had already been metamorphosed in early Paleogene. The Latest Oligocene-Early Miocene Hidaka high-temperature metamorphic event is presumed to have been caused by asthenospheric upwelling during back-arc rifting of the Kuril and Japan basins.     

The Machangqing copper-molybdenum deposits, Yunnan, China — an example of Himalayan porphyry-hosted Cu-Mo mineralization

Summary The Machangqing copper-molybdenum deposits occur in the Shanjian fold belt, Yunnan Province, China. Two types of ores are distinguished: (1) Cu-Mo quartz veinlets in magnetite-series granite porphyry; and (2) Cu-Mo skarns occurring at the contact between the Ordovician sedimentary sequence and the granite porphyry. With decreasing temperature and of hydrothermal fluids initially in equilibrium with K-feldspar, the following alteration patterns developed within the porphyry, from the center outwards: silicification, K-silicate, phyllic and argillic alteration. The paragenetic sequence of alteration minerals observed in the Cu-Mo skarns resulted from decreasing temperature and/or increasing of the hydrothermal fluids initially in equilibrium with grandite garnet. Fluid inclusions in quartz suggest boiling during the mineralization. The mineralization temperatures based on filling temperatures and salinities of quartz are in the following ranges: about 265° to 400 °C and 5.0 to 14.6 wt.% NaCl eq. for the Cu-Mo veinlets; and 200° to 500 °C and 10.2 to 42.0 wt.% NaCl eq. for the Cu-Mo skarns. As is evident from log fo₂-pH diagrams, ores of the early stage of mineralization in the Cu-Mo skarns, characterized by the assemblage magnetite + pyrite + rare pyrrhotite + K-feldspar + quartz, were deposited from highly alkaline and high temperature fluids. With decreasing temperature and fo₂, the pH of the ore fluids was shifted towards slightly alkaline to neutral, with the resultant formation of the main stage ores, characterized by the assemblage chalcopyrite + pyrite + molybdenite + sphalerite + K-feldspar +sericite (muscovite) + epidote + uartz. Very minor amounts of ore minerals, including matildite, bismuthinite and electrum, are associated with a late stage of ore formation.In the case of the Cu-Mo veinlets, it can be stated roughly that both fs₂ and fo₂ conditions were in the stability field of pyrite, with pH of the ore fluids buffered by the assemblage sericite + K-feldspar +quartz ± calcite. K-Ar age determinations were made on the granite porphyry, biotite phenocrysts and hydrothermal biotite in the Cu-Mo skarns, giving ages of 42.5 to 34.6 Ma, 52.3 Ma, and 39.2 to 26.4 Ma, respectively.It is concluded that the Cu-Mo mineralization at Machangqing shows a close spatial and temporal association with the Himalayan felsic magmatism of the magnetite-series type.

---

Die Machangqing Kupfer-Molybdän-Lagerstätten, Yunnan, China — Ein Beispiel für prophyrische Cu-Mo Vererzung im Himalaya

Zusammenfassung Die Kupfer-Molybdän-Lagerstätten von Machangqing treten im Shanjian Faltengürtel in der Provinz Yunnan, China, auf. Zwei Erztypen sind unterscheidbar: (1) Cu-Mo Quarzgängchen in einem porphyrischen Granit der Magnetit-Serie; (2) Cu-Mo-Skarne am Kontakt zwischen der ordovizischen Sedimentabfolge und dem porphyrischen Granit. Mit Abnahme der Temperatur und des Verhältnisses der hydrothermalen Fluide, die ursprünglich mit Alkalifeldspat im Gleichgewicht waren, entwickelten sich in diesem Porphyrstock vom Zentrum randwärts folgende Alterationszonen: Silizifizierung, K-silikatische, phyllische und argillische Alteration. Die paragenetische Abfolge der Alterationsminerale, die in den Cu-Mo Skamen zu beobachten sind, sind das Resultat abnehmender Temperatur und/oder einer Zunahme des -Verhältnisses der hydrothermalen Fluide, die ursprünglich mit Grandit-Granat im Gleichgewicht waren. Flüssigkeitseinschlüsse in Quarz weisen auf Siedeprozesse während der Mineralisation hin. Die aus den Einschlußtemperaturen und Salinitäten in Quarz bestimmten Mineralisationstemperaturen liegen für die Cu-Mo-Gängchen zwischen 265–400 °C und zwischen 5–14.6 Gew.% NaCI Äquiv. und zwischen 200–500 °C und 10.2–42 Gew.% NaCI Äquiv. für die Cu-Mo Skarne. Wie aus log fo₂-pH Diagrammen hervorgeht, ist die im Frühstadium der Cu-Mo Skamvererzung entstandene Vergesellschaftung von Magnetit +Pyrit+selten Magnetkies + Alkalifeldspat + Quarz durch Ausfällung aus sehr alkalischen und hochtemperierten Fluiden entstanden. Mit Temperatur- und fo₂-Abnahme wurde der pH der Lösungen leicht alkalisch bis neutral. Dies resultierte in der Bildung der Erze des Hauptstadiums, das durch Chalcopyrit + Pyrit + Molybdänit + Sphalerit + Alkalifeldspat + Serizit (Muscovit) + Epidot + Quarz charakterisiert ist. Sehr geringe Mengen an Erzmineralen inklusive Matildit, Bismuthinit und Elektrum sind dem Spätstadium der Vererzung zuzuordnen. Für die Cu-Mo-Gängchen läßt sich etwas verallgemeinernd feststellen, daß fo₂ und fs₂ im Stabilitätsbereich von Pyrit lagen, wobei der pH der Erzfluide durch die Paragenese Serizit+Alkalifeldspat+Quarz+Calcit gepuffert wurde. K-Ar Altersbestimmungen wurden am porphyrischen Granit, an Biotit-Phänokristallen und an hydrothermal gebildetem Biotit der Cu-Mo Skarne durchgeführt. Sie ergaben Alter von 42.5–34.6, 52.3 bzw. 39.2-26.4 Ma.Die Cu-Mo Vererzung von Machangqing zeigt eine räumliche und zeitliche Assoziation mit dem sauren Magmatismus der Magnetit-Serie im Himalaya.

---

---

With 12 Figures     

Comparison of the soil physical properties and hydrological processes in two different forest type catchments

Water Resources - Soil physical properties and hydrological processes were analyzed in two experimental catchments with different forest types: one catchment is covered mostly with conifer type...     

Transposable genetic elements inSpirulina and potential applications for genetic engineering

Transposable elements in cyanobacteria are briefly reviewed. Evidence is presented to show that transposable elements inSpirulina platensis is actually reflected on the phenotype change, i e., helical to straight filaments. Transposition intermediates of DNA were isolated from the extrachromosome and the transposition was related to helical variations inSpirulina. Uses of transposable elements for microalgal recombination are discussed based on the transposition mechanism.

     

The orientation of the OH− dipole in an optically anisotropie crystal: An application to the OH− dipole in topaz

For the purpose of determining the orientation of the OH^? dipole in an optically anisotropic crystal, distribution of polarized IR absorbance is formulated under Fourier transform microspectroscopy. The formulatd absorbance distribution suggests that the degree of pleochroism of absorbance depends on the angle between the orientation of the OH^? dipole and the principal orientation of the optically anisotropic crystal. As its application, the general orientation of the OH^? dipole in topaz is determined to be inclined 27.3° from the c-axis in (010).     

N2 fixation variability in the oligotrophic Sulu Sea, western equatorial Pacific region over the past 83 kyr

N₂ fixation is an important biological process that adds new nitrogen to oceans and plays a key role in modulating the oceanic nitrate inventory. However, it is not known how, when, and where N₂ fixation rates have varied in response to past climate changes. This study presents a new record of nitrogen isotopic composition (δ¹⁵N) over the last 83 kyr from a sediment core (KH02-4 SUP8) taken in the Sulu Sea in the western equatorial Pacific region; data allow the N₂ fixation variability in the sea to be reconstructed. Sediments, sinking, and suspended particulate organic matter (POM) all have lighter isotopic values compared to the δ¹⁵N values of substrate nitrate (av. 5.8‰) in North Pacific Intermediate Water. These lighter δ¹⁵N values are regarded as reflecting N₂ fixation in the Sulu Sea surface water. A δ¹⁵N mass balance model shows that N₂ fixation rates were significantly enhanced during 54–34 kyr in MIS-3 and MIS-2. It has been speculated that higher interglacial denitrification rates in the Arabian Sea and the eastern tropical Pacific would have markedly decreased the global oceanic N inventory and contributed to the increase in N₂ fixation in oligotrophic regions, but such a model was not revealed by our study. It is possible that changes in N₂ fixation rates in the Sulu Sea were regional response, and accumulation of phosphate in the surface waters due to enhanced monsoon-driven mixing is thought to have stimulated enhancements of N₂ fixation during MIS-3 and MIS-2.